Cloud queue playhead

Abstract

An example implementation may involve a computing system receiving, from a media playback system over the network interface, a request to initiate playback of the particular cloud queue at a first media item. The computing system assigns a playhead pointer to a position within the particular cloud queue that corresponds to the first media item and transmits, to the media playback system over the network interface, an instruction that causes one or more playback devices of the media playback system to initiate playback of the particular cloud queue at the first media item. While the one or more playback devices play back the particular cloud queue, the computing system updates the assigned position of the playhead pointer to indicate the currently playing media item of the particular cloud queue.

I claim: 
     
       1. A tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions, that when executed by a processor, cause a playback device to perform functions comprising:
 transmitting, to a computing system over a network interface, one or more messages indicating one or more media items in a cloud queue and a particular user account of a streaming media service, wherein the one or more media items in the cloud queue correspond to respective network sources at one or more servers of the streaming media service, and wherein the streaming media service provides on-demand streaming of audio tracks via the one or more servers; 
 receiving, from the computing system over the network interface, an indication of one or more particular playback policies associated with the cloud queue, wherein the one or more particular playback policies include (a) at least one first playback policy that authorizes the playback device to perform one or more first playback operations on the cloud queue when the particular user account of the streaming media service is a first type of subscriber to the streaming media service or (b) at least one second playback policy that authorizes the playback device to perform one or more second playback operations on the cloud queue when the particular user account of the streaming media service is a second type of subscriber to the streaming media service; and 
 causing playback of a local queue to be restricted according to the one or more particular playback policies, the local queue comprising at least one media item of the one or more media items in the cloud queue. 
 
     
     
       2. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 1 , wherein transmitting, to the computing system over the network interface, the one or more messages indicating the one or more media items in the cloud queue comprises:
 transmitting an indication of a first media item corresponding to a playhead pointer, wherein the one or more media items in the cloud queue comprises the first media item. 
 
     
     
       3. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 1 , wherein transmitting, to the computing system over the network interface, the one or more messages indicating the one or more media items in the cloud queue comprises:
 transmitting an identifier of a first media item in the cloud queue. 
 
     
     
       4. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 1 , wherein transmitting, to the computing system over the network interface, the one or more messages indicating the one or more media items in the cloud queue comprises:
 transmitting, to the computing system over the network interface, one or more media items in the cloud queue and an indication of an identity of a media playback system that comprises the playback device. 
 
     
     
       5. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 1 , wherein the functions further comprise:
 transmitting, to the computing system via the network interface, a request for an indication of a playhead pointer for the cloud queue; and 
 receiving, from the computing system via the network interface, an indication of the playhead pointer for the cloud queue. 
 
     
     
       6. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 5 , wherein the functions further comprise:
 assigning a position of a local playhead pointer for a local queue to correspond to the playhead pointer for the cloud queue, wherein the local queue is stored on the playback device. 
 
     
     
       7. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more particular playback policies restrict at least one of (i) a shuffle option, (ii) a repeat option, (iii) a skip forward option, (iv) a skip backwards option, (v) a seek forward option, (vi) a seek backward option or (vii) playback order modification option. 
     
     
       8. A playback device, comprising:
 a processor; and 
 memory storing instructions, that when executed by the processor, cause the playback device to perform functions comprising:
 transmitting, to a computing system over a network interface, one or more messages indicating one or more media items in a cloud queue and a particular user account of a streaming media service, wherein the one or more media items in the cloud queue correspond to respective network sources at one or more servers of the streaming media service, and wherein the streaming media service provides on-demand streaming of audio tracks via the one or more servers; 
 receiving, from the computing system over the network interface, one or more particular playback policies associated with the cloud queue, wherein the one or more particular playback policies include (a) at least one first playback policy that authorizes the playback device to perform one or more first playback operations on the cloud queue when the particular user account of the streaming media service is a first type of subscriber to the streaming media service or (b) at least one second playback policy that authorizes the playback device to perform one or more second playback operations on the cloud queue when the particular user account of the streaming media service is a second type of subscriber to the streaming media service; and 
 causing playback of a local queue to be restricted according to the one or more particular playback policies, the local queue comprising at least one media item of the one or more media items in the cloud queue. 
 
 
     
     
       9. The playback device of  claim 8 , wherein transmitting, to the computing system over the network interface, the one or more messages indicating the one or more media items in the cloud queue comprises:
 transmitting an indication of a first media item corresponding to a playhead pointer, wherein the one or more media items in the cloud queue comprises the first media item. 
 
     
     
       10. The playback device of  claim 8 , wherein transmitting, to the computing system over the network interface, the one or more messages indicating the one or more media items in the cloud queue comprises:
 transmitting an identifier of a first media item in the cloud queue. 
 
     
     
       11. The playback device of  claim 8 , wherein transmitting, to the computing system over the network interface, the one or more messages indicating the one or more media items in the cloud queue comprises:
 transmitting, to the computing system over the network interface, one or more media items in the cloud queue and an indication of an identity of a media playback system that comprises the playback device. 
 
     
     
       12. The playback device of  claim 8 , wherein the functions further comprise:
 transmitting, to the computing system via the network interface, a request for an indication of a playhead pointer for the cloud queue; and 
 receiving, from the computing system via the network interface, an indication of the playhead pointer for the cloud queue. 
 
     
     
       13. The playback device of  claim 12 , wherein the functions further comprise:
 assigning a position of a local playhead pointer for a local queue to correspond to the playhead pointer for the cloud queue, wherein the local queue is stored on the playback device. 
 
     
     
       14. The playback device of  claim 8 , wherein the one or more particular playback policies restrict at least one of (i) a shuffle option, (ii) a repeat option, (iii) a skip forward option, (iv) a skip backwards option, (v) a seek forward option, (vi) a seek backward option or (vii) playback order modification option. 
     
     
       15. A method, comprising:
 transmitting, via a playback device to a computing system over a network interface, one or more messages indicating one or more media items in a cloud queue and a particular user account of a streaming media service, wherein the one or more media items in the cloud queue correspond to respective network sources at one or more servers of the streaming media service, and wherein the streaming media service provides on-demand streaming of audio tracks via the one or more servers; 
 receiving, via the playback device from the computing system over the network interface, one or more particular playback policies associated with the cloud queue, wherein the one or more particular playback policies include (a) at least one first playback policy that authorizes the playback device to perform one or more first playback operations on the cloud queue when the particular user account of the streaming media service is a first type of subscriber to the streaming media service or (b) at least one second playback policy that authorizes the playback device to perform one or more second playback operations on the cloud queue when the particular user account of the streaming media service is a second type of subscriber to the streaming media service; and 
 causing, via the playback device, playback of a local queue to be restricted according to the one or more particular playback policies, the local queue comprising at least one media item of the one or more media items in the cloud queue. 
 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 15 , wherein transmitting, to the computing system over the network interface, the one or more messages indicating the one or more media items in the cloud queue comprises:
 transmitting an indication of a first media item corresponding to a playhead pointer, wherein the one or more media items in the cloud queue comprises the first media item. 
 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 15 , wherein transmitting, to the computing system over the network interface, the one or more messages indicating the one or more media items in the cloud queue comprises:
 transmitting, to the computing system over the network interface, one or more media items in the cloud queue and an indication of an identity of a media playback system that comprises the playback device. 
 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 transmitting, to the computing system via the network interface, a request for an indication of a playhead pointer for the cloud queue; and 
 receiving, from the computing system via the network interface, an indication of the playhead pointer for the cloud queue. 
 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 assigning a position of a local playhead pointer for a local queue to correspond to the playhead pointer for the cloud queue, wherein the local queue is stored on the playback device. 
 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 15 , wherein the one or more particular playback policies restrict at least one of (i) a shuffle option, (ii) a repeat option, (iii) a skip forward option, (iv) a skip backwards option, (v) a seek forward option, (vi) a seek backward option or (vii) playback order modification option.